RIDER REPORT

As Winter turns to Spring and we transition from pandemic to endemic, it's the perfect time to reflect on all that we've been through together over the last two years, to be grateful for the ways forward that we've discovered, and to look forward to all of the wonderful events on our horizon.

Since the beginning of the year, we have focused on making school fun again! We are thrilled to have been able to resume field trips, sports, art and cultural events, and many of the events and activities that contribute to a vital, well-rounded, exciting learning environment and school community.

Of special note in upcoming school news and events:

• Our Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, and Boys Volleyball teams have all advanced to the Section 2 Semi-Final rounds of sectionals and will be competing this week for a chance to play in the Section 2 Championships!
• Our Senior Barden Seabury has qualified in the 55 meter and 300 meter dash for the New York State Indoor Track Championships this coming Saturday!
• The Crane Acting Troupe is mounting their first production since 2019 -- come and see the show on March 24, 25, and 26th!

Warmer weather brings the promise of new life, and we are ready for a new season filled with smiling faces and Spring activities!

Also in this issue…

• Character Trait of the Month: Respect
• 7th Grade Science: Mrs. Gecewicz Honored as Master Teacher

• Celebrating our 100th Day of School: Cereal Box Collection!
  

• Come See a Show and Support Our Acting Troupe!
  
• High School Student Liaison Committee Weighs In On School Issues
  
• Did You Know That Filling Out a Free And Reduced Lunch Form is a Great Idea For Everyone?
  
• And More

Here at Ichabod Crane, we are celebrating the theme of Unity all year long!

Each month, our focus is on one specific character trait. In February, our character trait of the month was Respect.

Students district-wide participated in a contest, creating short videos or taking photos that illustrate Respect.

Submissions were edited to create music videos, which were played to kick off our District-wide Dance Party on the Friday before Winter Break! Students and teachers donned tie-dye and groovy outfits, and a great time was had by all.

This video was created from submissions by students from our Middle School!

And this video, from submissions by students in our High School!

Ichabod Crane Middle School 7th Grade Science teacher Mrs. Jennifer Gecewicz has been selected by New York State as a Master Teacher!

Chosen from the best and the brightest STEM teachers of New York State, Master Teachers are outstanding leaders who demonstrate a deep understanding of their content area and their teaching practices, of students’ families and their communities, and are dedicated to furthering growth in these areas.

This group of outstanding K-12 educators work to inspire and support each other, creating ever-expanding opportunities for STEM education for their students and communities. Master Teachers also gain access to grant funding opportunities that benefit their schools and communities, opening up new avenues for STEM curriculum.

Mrs. Gecewicz's enthusiasm is contagious, and she is excited to join this group of talented peers who meet to "really enhance their craft and share ideas!" A life-long learner, she knows how vital it is to embody that drive as an example for students. "I love to work with other passionate people, those unafraid to go out on a limb and try new things," she remarks. She's dedicated to growing our STEM program for the benefit of everyone in the community, and grateful for the Master Teacher Program resources that will facilitate new programming and innovations for STEM at Ichabod Crane.

Mr. Tony Marturano, Principal of the Middle School, says:

“Mrs. Gecewicz is one of our most engaging and dynamic teachers. She is constantly looking for ways to get the students doing activities and having fun, while making sure they cover and understand the curriculum. On several occasions I've been invited into Mrs. G.'s classroom and the kids were having a blast doing things such as creating playdough models of the human body or seeing how erosion works with a mini 'wave maker'. She truly is an asset to our building and district and the kids are lucky to have her.”

What is STEM, and why is it important?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM curriculum blends those subjects to give students the skills and tools they need to succeed! Students are prepared to compete in the modern workplace, able to solve problems, find and use evidence, collaborate on projects, and think critically.

STEM curriculum creates an integrated, blended approach, encouraging hands-on experience and giving students the chance to gain and apply relevant, real-world knowledge in the classroom–and beyond.

Here at Ichabod Crane, we have a new STEM addition currently under construction at the High School. This new technology and engineering addition includes a transportation and materials shop, a wood shop, two innovation labs, and a CNC fabrication classroom! The addition will be ready in the Fall.

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To celebrate our 100th day of school, our 3rd grade collected boxes of cereal for donation to the backback program and to local food pantries. Over 300 boxes of cereal were collected! A cereal box domino activity was set up in the hallway, and everyone had so much fun! Congratulations to the 3rd grade for their great success in collecting for a good cause!

The Crane Acting Troupe is a self-supporting extracurricular activity for students in grades 7-12. Financial support for the CAT productions comes solely from ticket sales. This is the first production that the troupe has been able to put on since 2019, and we are so excited to support our troupe!

Thank you to students Alexa Beach, Benjamin Vecillio, Skylar Scace, Daniel Chen, Lillian Gould, and Samara Regan for sharing your insights. We appreciate your valuable contributions!

Free breakfast and lunch is available to enrolled students until June 30, 2022. All meals are served at no charge, with no income requirements or registration needed.

While this is fantastic news for all, we still encourage all families to fill out the Free & Reduced Priced Lunch Application here, regardless of whether or not you believe your family is qualified for the program.

Having a filled out form on file will alleviate any unnecessary charges once full pricing goes back in effect. This form is available in Spanish here.

Filling out the form may benefit your student and school in ways beyond the lunch program. The number of applications that are returned and approved can affect how much funding our schools get to help students meet academic benchmarks, including grant funding for materials like books and computers.

High School students could receive the following benefits plus many others from College Board:

• Waived and/or reduced fees on the following exams – SAT, PSAT, ACT & AP

• Unlimited score reports to send to colleges

• College application fees waived at participating colleges

The form only has to be filled out once a year, and can be filled out at any time during the year--not just at the beginning of the school year.

Have questions? Need more information?

Please contact Todd DiGrigoli at 518-758-4208 or email tdigrigoli@ichabodcrane.org

Our 2021-2022 COVID Resources Page is updated regularly throughout the year as needed with new information, guidance, protocols and resources. Please visit this page to see the latest as we continue to monitor and work to prevent the spread of COVID in our schools. https://www.ichabodcrane.org/2021-2022-covid-resources/

Weekly COVID Tracker

Click here to access our Weekly COVID Tracker. On this page, you will find weekly totals of confirmed COVID positives within the district, listed by building. For daily updates, please visit the NYS School COVID Report Card here.

We have created a document to help you find the correct person to contact for a variety of concerns that may come up throughout the year, as well as a directory of district staff. You can find this contact guide on our website.

• One Book, One School: Reading Together
• Character trait of the month: Helpfulness
• And so much more!